Step 6: Conclusion

These instructions will help the reader patch a punctured presta valve tube for the front tire of their bicycle. You will first learn how to remove the tire and tube in order to inspect it for holes. You will then be instructed on how to patch the tube before finally returning the tube and tire to the wheel.

Step 1: Items Needed

<p>If you're doing this with narrow road wheels you may find that the tire is hard to pull over the rim. The trick is to pinch the tube on the opposite side to the levers, so that the bead drops into the well of the rim. This means that the tire will move over further. With mountain bike tires this trick can mean that you can remove a tire without levers.<br>Also when refitting the tyre (especially with narrow rims), don't put on the valve nut until you've pumped up the tire, otherwise the tube may be pinched between the bead of the tire and the rim. The tire will then have a bump in it where it's not seated in the rim properly. With narrow rims you often need to push the valve in slightly to make sure that the tire can seat properly in the rim</p>

<p>Patching tubes can be a saviour in order to get home but by no means are they permanent. You should always put a new tube in as soon as possible.</p>

<p>This is really helpful! My dad also taught me that if you were having a hard time finding a puncture you could slowly rotate the inflated tube through a tub of water and watch for bubbles, but then you have to make sure it's totally dry again before you can patch it and you can't really do that if you get a flat on the side of the road somewhere, unfortuantely. </p>